Hiking in Hokianga to Waitotemarama Falls – Day 359

Waiotemarama Falls Walk.

Today we are checking out the Waiotemarama Falls, as well as the world’s most hidden puzzle museum! If you like this video and want to see more 365 Days: 365 Activities in New Zealand then jump on over to our epic YouTube Channel!

Video Transcript:

Today we are discovering hidden waterfalls and hidden puzzle worlds in Hokianga.

This morning we’re waking up in Omapere in the Hokianga Harbour and going on an adventure.

So today guys we are looking for something which is not on our GPS it’s called the Waiotemarama Gorge there is half a road on the GPS then after we do have to look for a sign so we’re gonna ask you to help us out finding the sign. I’ll put the camera out and please write a comment when you see the sign.

That will totally help.

Comment below when you see the sign, Ok, make sure you yell! Write in all-caps so we can hear you.

Google Maps is really SHEEP in remote areas so it’s old old fashioned sign finding for this one.

The sign is there right here. Woo!

From this road…

Over here is the sign. You have no way of seeing that but it says Waterfall and forest walks.

Finally down this dodgy looking road we find the start to the track.

Locked it.

I hope we’re gonna get to see kiwi birds.

There are several hiking options in the Waima Forest which is just outside of Omapere in the Hokianga Harbour and we’re gonna be taking the Waiotemarama Loop Track which is about 2 hours and 30 minutes loop to complete. Otherwise you can just walk to the waterfall and back again taking about 30 minutes.

Although it was a bit of a mission to get here, we are super glad that we made the effort because this forest is absolutely stunning. It’s super dense with all types of different ferns, there are nikau palm trees so many different types of mosses and all these hanging vines which are super fascinated by.

See the fern which is trying to take over that tree and this intricate network of vines it’s quite fascinating.

And then next to us we have spider tree.

Look there is one here there is one there, they look like massive trees but they’re not trees they’re vines just all intricate together.

As usual I am so impressed by the wide variety of plants that we get to see during this walk, it’s incredible that on Day 359 we are still being surprised by New Zealand. It’s incredible the amount of activities that we’ve done and the amount of time that I’ve said Hey, it looks so different! And this one is yet another.

It’s just around that corner. I think we need to cross this river to get over there.

It’s quite hilarious that the track has been so well built all the way with even a massive staircase going down well right into the stream with no view whatsoever of the waterfall, so if you guys are tackling the Waiotemarama Falls make sure you bring your waterproof shoes cos you’ll get your feet wet almost guaranteed.

But when we finally get there we are not disappointed it’s a stunning three tiered waterfall over 20m and there is a beautiful moss all around – oh my God.

What are you doing Laura?

I’m gonna take an artsy photo of the waterfall.

As per usual we are taking way too many pictures of this stunning waterfall it’s such an amazing hidden gem in the Northland region.

So making your way to the waterfall is actually pretty short so if you are actually driving around the area, make sure to stop by it’s about 15 minutes to get to the waterfall and if you want to do the whole loop track it’s about 2 and half hours. So it makes for a perfect lunch stop break if you decide to you know have a view with your lunch.

Speaking of lunch, the French boy has found himself a snack right here is kauri snail which is one of the largest snails in New Zealand.

Unfortunately, it looks like this snail has already left its shell so Robin’s gonna have to go hungry today but don’t worry guys we’re actually going to have more kauri snail encounters in the next few days so make sure you subscribe for that.

Making our way back along the track there are lots more to discover, lots of different types of moss, and lots of little cute running streams running by and this forest even has kauri in it and kauri are the largest types of trees in New Zealand and they’re only really naturally found in the north region of the North Island.

Our plan from here is to head back to the car park and just to head back to Hokianga but when we are driving back down the Waiotemarma Gorge Road Robin spots a really unusual looking sign leading to a really funky looking building and right here we find Labyrinth Woodworks which is a puzzle museum.

So I’ve mentioned that a few times during New Zealand’s Biggest Gap Year but I’m a big nerd about board games – I love board games, I love puzzles, and love brain teasers, and I can’t believe I just found my paradise in the middle of nowhere. This place has so many board games even a tonne of board games that I’ve never seen before and the owners of the game shop actually create games themselves as well the husband of the lady that is showing us around right now actually won some awards for board games that he has created. It’s so epic to see this place here and to find it out completely out of the blue. We love it and we play here for hours.

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